Wind Turbines create negative impact on Wildlife and Public Health

Seven countries now generate 100% of their electricity from renewable energy – two are in Europe. Last year was the best year on record for new wind energy installation. That is a 50% increase from 2022 making it the best year on record for new wind projects.

Harnessing power from the wind is one of the cleanest and most sustainable ways to generate electricity as it produces no toxic pollution or global warming emissions.

Wind is also abundant, inexhaustible, and affordable, which makes it a viable and large-scale alternative to fossil fuels. Despite its vast potential, there are a variety of environmental impacts associated with wind power generation that should be recognized and mitigated.

As the world begins its large-scale transition toward low-carbon energy sources, it is vital that the pros and cons of each type are well understood and the environmental impacts of renewable energy, small as they may be in comparison to coal and gas, are considered.

For solar energy, the average power density (measured in watts per meter squared) is 10 times higher than wind power, but also much lower than estimates by leading energy experts.

This research suggests that not only will wind farms require more land to hit the proposed renewable energy targets but also, at such a large scale, would become an active player in the climate system.

The next question, as explored in the journal Joule, was how such large-scale wind farms would impact the climate system.

The impact of wind turbines on wildlife, most notably on birds and bats, has been widely document and studied.

A recent National Wind Coordinating Committee (NWCC) review of peer-reviewed research found evidence of bird and bat deaths from collisions with wind turbines and due to changes in air pressure caused by the spinning turbines, as well as from habitat disruption.

Wildlife biologists have found that bats are most active when wind speeds are low.

Using this information, the Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative concluded that keeping wind turbines motionless during times of low wind speeds could reduce bat deaths by more than half without significantly affecting power production.

Other wildlife impacts can be mitigated through better siting of wind turbines.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services has played a leadership role in this effort by convening an advisory group including representatives from industry, state and tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations that made comprehensive recommendations on appropriate wind farm siting and best management practices.

Wind farms located offshore will also impact fish and other marine wildlife. Some studies suggest that turbines may actually increase fish populations by acting as artificial reefs.

The impact will vary from site to site, and therefore proper research and monitoring systems are needed for each offshore wind facility.

Sound and visual impact are the two main public health and community concerns associated with operating wind turbines. Most of the sound generated by wind turbines is aerodynamic, caused by the movement of turbine blades through the air.

There is also mechanical sound generated by the turbine itself. Overall sound levels depend on turbine design and wind speed.

Some people living close to wind facilities have complained about sound and vibration issues, but industry and government-sponsored studies in Canada and Australia have found that these issues do not adversely impact public health.

It is important for wind turbine developers to take these community concerns seriously by following good neighbor best practices for siting turbines and initiating open dialogue with affected community members.

Additionally, technological advances, such as minimizing blade surface imperfections and using sound-absorbent materials can reduce wind turbine noise.

Under certain lighting conditions, wind turbines can create an effect known as shadow flicker. This annoyance can be minimized with careful siting, planting trees or installing window awnings, or curtailing wind turbine operations when certain lighting conditions exist.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires that large wind turbines, like all structures over 200 feet high, have white or red lights for aviation safety.

However, the FAA recently determined that as long as there are no gaps in lighting greater than a half-mile, it is not necessary to light each tower in a multi-turbine wind project. Daytime lighting is unnecessary as long as the turbines are painted white.

When it comes to aesthetics, wind turbines can elicit strong reactions. To some people, they are graceful sculptures; to others, they are eyesores that compromise the natural landscape.

Whether a community is willing to accept an altered skyline in return for cleaner power should be decided in an open public dialogue.

While there are no global warming emissions associated with operating wind turbines, there are emissions associated with other stages of a wind turbine’s life-cycle.

Including materials production, materials transportation, on-site construction and assembly, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning and dismantlement.

The world installed 116 gigawatts of new wind power capacity in 2023, according to the latest Global Wind Report from industry trade association the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).

China led for both offshore and onshore wind installation followed by the USA, Brazil and Germany. Thanks to strong growth in the Netherlands, Europe also had a record year in 2023 with 3.8 gigawatts of new offshore wind capacity.

The report notes that, while wind power growth is highly concentrated in a few big countries, some other regions and nations saw record growth.

Africa and the Middle East installed nearly 1 gigawatt of wind power capacity in 2023, almost triple that of the previous year.

Seven countries now generate all of their energy from renewable sources, according to figures from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

More than 99.7% of electricity in Albania, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Iceland, Nepal, Paraguay and the Democratic Republic of Congo comes from geothermal, hydro, solar or wind power.

Norway came close with 98% of its energy from wind, water or solar, according to the data compiled by Stanford University Professor Mark Jacobson.

Another 40 countries got at least half of their electricity from renewables in 2021 and 2022 including 11 in Europe. Others, like Germany or Portugal, are capable of running on 100% wind, water and solar for short amounts of time.

Though many of these countries currently use a large amount of hydro-power or wind energy, experts predict solar could take over as a major source in the near future. Technology has improved and costs are rapidly dropping.

Solar dominated the expansion of renewable energy capacity in 2023, accounting for 73% of all growth, followed by wind power at 24%. It now makes up 37% of the world’s total renewable energy capacity.

A 2023 study from the University of Exeter and University College London predicts that solar will reach an irreversible tipping point, becoming the world’s primary source of energy by 2050.

Green Euro News / ABC Flash Point News 2024.